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13 min read Feb 04, 2024

We Buy Ugly Houses Reviews: NOT the Best Cash Buyer for Your House

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We Buy Ugly Houses is a network of real estate investors that pays cash for distressed properties. They have nationwide coverage and a quick closing timeline.

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2.5

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Pros

  • We Buy Ugly Houses extends all-cash offers in 24 to 48 hours
  • They can close on your property in 3 weeks

Cons

  • You get cash offers that are just 50% to 70% of your property's Fair Market Value
  • We Buy Ugly houses' deals are take-it-or-leave-it. There is very little scope for negotiation
  • Your home-selling experience depends on the franchisee broker you work with

We Buy Ugly Houses allows you to sell your home as is without worrying about repair or renovation costs. When you sell your home to WeBuyUglyHouses.com, you may get just 50% to 70% of your home’s Fair Market Value. This is standard industry practice with cash buyers.

An MLS listing on a cash buyer marketplace like Houzeo can get you 100% of your property’s value. With Houzeo, your listing can be on the MLS within 24 hours. Moreover, you can compare offers from multiple national and local cash buyers, instead of settling for just one lowball offer.

Does the convenience of a quick sale make up for We Buy Ugly Houses’ lowball offer? Let’s look at We Buy Ugly Houses reviews and their pros and cons to arrive at a conclusion.

What is We Buy Ugly Houses?

We Buy Ugly Houses operates like other companies that buy houses for cash. They extend discounted cash offers on ugly homes and pay around 50% to 70% of their Fair Market Value.

They buy homes as-is. Once they make the necessary repairs to the properties, the homes are then resold. This “We Buy Ugly Homes” company is a subsidiary of HomeVestors. They operate on a franchise model and every office is independently owned.

NATIONWIDE COVERAGE

We Buy Ugly Houses

We Buy Ugly Houses
  • Service Fee: None
  • Closing in 3 weeks
  • 2.5 Stars 2.3/5 (45+ reviews)

We Buy Ugly Houses is a 20-year-old cash home buyer franchise. Independent real estate investors own and run each franchisee office. The parent company trains the franchisee but doesn’t micromanage their cash home-buying preferences. The brand, We Buy Ugly Houses is owned by HomeVestors.

  • Service Fee: None
  • Typical Offer: 50% to 70% of Fair Market Value (FMV)
  • Eligible Properties: Ugly homes with structural issues, bad mortgage financing, inherited houses, high-crime neighborhoods, etc.
  • Closing Offer Terms: WeBuyUglyHouses provides a flexible closing date, up to 30 days out. Offer terms are subject to change based on the local franchisee office.

👉 Our Take: We Buy Ugly Houses is best for sellers who want to unload their distressed houses quickly. You shouldn’t expect more than 70% of your property’s market value.

  • Fast Cash Offers for Homes: WeBuyUglyHouses.com will share a preliminary cash offer for your property in 24 to 48 business hours.
  • Zero Service Fees: WeBuy Ugly Houses doesn’t charge any service fee in exchange for the convenience of selling your home for cash.
  • Fast Closing: We Buy Ugly Houses.com will close in just seven days after you accept their cash offer.
  • Firm Cash Offer: We Buy Ugly House’s cash offer is usually in line with the preliminary cash offer unless the inspector identifies major flaws during the home inspection.
  • Wide Coverage: We Buy Ugly Houses offers cash for homes in 1,100 locations across 45 states.

» We Buy Ugly Houses Review: How does WeBuyUglyHouses.com calculate your cash offer?

In our research, we found some We Buy Ugly Houses drawbacks.

  • Lowball Cash Offer: We Buy Ugly Houses pays less than what sellers could get on the open market. The cash offer is around 50% to 70% of the property’s fair market value.
  • WeBuyUgly Houses.com is Not 100% Online: We Buy Ugly has a limited tech stack. This means a lot of processes, like requesting a counteroffer or managing inspections, will be offline and manual. They don’t even have a mobile app.
  • Non-Negotiable Cash Offers: We Buy Ugly Houses will not offer more than 70% of your property’s fair market value. They rarely increase the price quoted in the initial cash offer.
  • Inconsistent Quality of Service: When you work with house buyers like WeBuy UglyHouses, you sell your house to a local real estate investor. The service quality will differ based on the independent investor you are dealing with.

We Buy Ugly Houses has 1.6 out of 5 stars with 9+ reviews on Yelp.

» We Buy Ugly Houses Complaints: Check what customers say about WeBuyUglyHouses.com.

    🚨 Important:Every franchisee of We Buy Ugly Houses offers a different level of service quality. So, check your local office’s reviews before requesting a cash offer.

Is We Buy Ugly Houses Legit?

We Buy Ugly Houses is one of the most widely known cash house buyers in America. They were established in 1996 by their parent company, HomeVestors.

According to their website, We Buy Ugly Houses has worked with over 140,000 homeowners since their inception.

We Buy Ugly Houses Coverage

WeBuyUglyHouses.com is present in 47 states and has over 1,100 independent franchisees. The company covers the following states in the USA:

RegionsStates
NortheastConnecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
MidwestIllinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska,
SouthAlabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas, District of Columbia
WestArizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

If you live in Alaska, Hawaii, or North Dakota, and are finding it difficult to get a cash offer, list your property on the open market. A Flat Fee MLS company can get you cash offers from multiple cash buyers.

💰 Get Top Dollar for Your Home: iBuyers and cash buyers submit offers on Houzeo properties across the country. List your property today to get your cash offer!

Properties That We Buy Ugly Houses Purchases

A distressed property is an investment opportunity for ugly house buyers. Distressed homes are:

  • Homes with structural issues
  • Properties facing foreclosures
  • Homeowners going through a divorce or retirement
  • Inherited houses
  • Homes in high-crime neighborhoods

You can also opt for this home-buyer company if you don’t have an ugly house. But you may lose 30% to 50% of your home’s FMV. In such a situation, an MLS listing could prove to be more lucrative.

» How to List Your House on the MLS: Here’s everything you need to know about listing your home on the MLS without a realtor.

How Does We Buy Ugly Houses Work?

Getting a cash offer from We Buy Ugly Houses is straightforward:

  1. Contact We Buy Ugly Houses: You can either call 877-413-4379 or visit the We Buy Ugly Houses website to sell your house fast. Submit information about your house like its location, square footage, features, etc.
  2. Schedule a Home Inspection: This “We Buy Homes” company will inspect your house within 24 hours. You will receive a no-obligation cash offer after the home inspection. This is usually a “take-it-or-leave-it” deal.
  3. Accept the Cash Offer: If you accept the cash offer, you can sign a purchase agreement and choose a closing date.
  4. Receive Cash: Once you finalize the deal, you can get cash in hand in as little as 3 weeks.
    👉 Important: Review local housing sales data and determine the FMV of your property before requesting a cash offer from We Buy Ugly Houses.

How Much Does We Buy Ugly Houses Pay?

We Buy Ugly Houses typically follows the 70% rule when purchasing a house.

As per this rule, a buyer should not pay more than 70% of a house’s After-Repair Value (ARV) to turn a profit. This is excluding the cost of repairs.

Webuyuglyhouses.com follows this simple formula when calculating their cash offer:

Maximum offer = ARV x 0.7 – Estimated Repair Costs

Generally, the average profit on a house flip is about $62,000. So, you can expect a cash offer that takes a similar figure into account. We Buy Ugly Houses’ cash offer is based on:

  • Current housing market conditions
  • Local sales data
  • Type of property
  • The house’s age and condition
  • Repair costs

According to some reviews of We Buy Ugly Houses, this cash home buyer may even extend an offer that is just 50% of your home’s worth.

✍️ Note: The cash offer is inversely proportional to the repair expenses the company will incur after the purchase. The lesser the repairs, the more cash offered!

We Buy Ugly Houses vs. Houzeo

The final sale price is the primary difference between selling your home to We Buy Ugly Houses and selling with Houzeo. The cash buyer may leave you feeling helpless when they extend a discounted offer for your home.

On the other hand, an MLS listing with Houzeo’s Gold plan equips you with advanced technology to call for the highest and best offers. You can also counter offers to help you get a deal closer to your expectations.

We Buy Ugly HousesHouzeo
Sale Price50% to 70% of FMVUp to 100% of FMV
Customer Rating2.5 Stars (32 Reviews)4.9 Stars (1,096 Reviews)
Closing Timeline21 to 30 Days2 to 60 Days
Fees/Commissions$399 + 3% Buyer Agent Commission
Closing Costs1% to 3% Closing Costs
Scope for Negotiation
Repair Costs

» Houzeo Reviews: Still not convinced? Read what others have to say about Houzeo.

Buying Ugly Homes Franchisees

We Buy Ugly Houses is a traditional flipping business founded by HomeVestors. The parent company licenses the name out to franchisees, who then operate as independent companies.

These franchisees use webuyuglyhouses’ proprietary software to evaluate homes for purchase and estimate repair costs.

    👉 Fact: Each franchisee is trained by HomeVestors so they work without any guidance. Your experience may vary based on which franchisee you do business with.

We Buy Ugly Houses Customer Reviews

We Buy Ugly Houses.com has a 1.5 out of 5-star rating on Yelp based on 7 reviews. On Google, they have a 3.1 out of 5-star rating based on 25 reviews.

Many of the customer reviews praise this cash buyer’s professionalism and customer support. However, We Buy Ugly Houses complaints highlight their below market value cash offers.

✅ Robert praised the customer support offered by We Buy Ugly Houses throughout the home-selling process.

Robert UnderwoodUSASubmitted

From the first meeting until the closing, Sammy handled everything in a professional and courteous manner. He clearly explained the process up front, and he kept me informed of the status from start to finish. He answered all of my questions along the way, which made the transaction much less stressful for me.

Source: Google

✅ Shana was happy with the cash offer extended by WeBuyUglyHouses.com for her distressed property.

Shana LeeUSASubmitted 2022

I am thankful for this group. My house was in terrible shape and I received the best offer considering all the damages from a leek in my home. Thank you guys!

Source: Google

❌ Erica was furious about the extremely lowball offer given by We Buy Ugly Houses.

Erica GeorgeUSASubmitted 2021

They extremely lowballed what the house was worth. Commented negatively and tried to downplay what the house was worth. Would not recommend at all.

Source: Google

❌ Jarett was frustrated with the numerous spam emails sent by the ugly house buyers.

Jarett MillardUSASubmitted 2022

Sends out junk mail begging to buy houses so they can flip them and turn them into rentals.

Source: Google

We Buy Ugly Houses: Pros and Cons

Companies buying ugly houses for sale are convenient for sellers who need cash quickly. However, their pros and cons paint a clearer picture:

✅ WeBuyUglyHouses.com Pros:

This cash buyer has certain advantages over the traditional home-selling process:

  • Quick Closing: We Buy Ugly Houses can close on your property in as little as 3 weeks.
  • Fast Cash Offer: They are known for extending cash offers within 24-48 hours. So, you can get quick cash in hand if you’re in a hurry.
  • No Service Fees: They don’t charge any service fee when you sell your house to them.
  • Save on Repair and Closing Costs: You avoid spending money on repairs by selling your home as is to this ugly house buyer. Further, all closing costs are borne by the company.
  • Low Chances of the Transaction Falling Through: We Buy Ugly Houses finances the real estate transaction themselves. Since they don’t have to wait for bank approvals, the possibility of your home sale falling through is low.

⛔ WeBuyUglyHouses.com Cons:

We Buy Ugly Houses complaints reflect the following disadvantages of the company:

  • Lowball Cash Offers: We Buy Ugly Houses deducts the repair costs and estimated profits before extending their cash offer. So, you may get just 50% to 70% of your home’s FMV.
  • No Scope for Negotiation: Such cash buyers extend only “take-it-or-leave-it” deals. You have no wiggle room to increase the cash offer.
  • Unsolicited Letters and Spam Messages: Customer reviews state that the franchise sends out many spam messages to people who may not even own distressed properties.
  • Inconsistent Quality of Service: Local real estate investors own and run We Buy Ugly Houses offices independently. So, your experience with the company is determined by how your local investor takes you through the process.

We Buy Ugly Houses Scams

Because of their fast, all-cash offers and smart advertising strategy, We Buy Ugly Houses is everywhere! They even have signs nailed to telephone poles next to freeway off-ramps!

Such popularity has naturally spawned a number of scams targeting desperate home sellers. These include:

  • Wholesaling: A cash buyer will make an offer on your home and sign a contract agreeing to the same. However, they will then stall and try to sell that contract to another investor for a profit.
  • Ponzi Scheme: An investor with a WBUH office in Colorado bought properties for below FMV and sold them at a profit to pay off previous investors. Sources claim that she began the scheme under the WBUH banner, before continuing it elsewhere.
    ✍️ Note: Research the company to avoid being ripped off. Ask for client reviews and references. If they don’t seem legit, look for another ugly homes buyer.

Best Alternatives to WeBuyUglyHouses.com

Even if you want to sell your house fast for cash, look for some alternatives better than WeBuyUglyHouses.com. We’ve listed three below:

  1. Houzeo: Houzeo is one of the best FSBO websites in America that lets you list your home on the MLS in just 24 to 48 hours. Here, multiple national and local cash home buyers make offers on your property, driving up its price. You can even get 100% of your home’s FMV.
  2. Opendoor: Opendoor is the largest iBuyer in America extending cash offers for homes needing minimal repairs. They generally pay 70% to 80% of your home’s FMV but deduct a 5% service fee, closing costs, and repair costs from the offer.
  3. Sundae Real Estate: Sundae isn’t a typical “We Buy Houses for Cash” company but an investor marketplace. Pre-qualified investors place bids and offer cash for rundown homes. Homes in desirable locations may get multiple cash offers.

“Cash for Houses” Companies Near Me

There are other companies that buy homes for cash in the market. You can request an offer from multiple cash companies and pick the one that suits you the best.

RegionStates/CitiesCompanies That Buy Houses For Cash Near Me
NortheastStatesConnecticut | Maine | Massachusetts | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New York | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | Vermont
NortheastKey CitiesBoston, MA | Brooklyn, NY | Buffalo, NY | Long Island, NY | New York City, NY | Philadelphia, PA | Pittsburgh, PA | Rochester, NY | York, PA | Clayton, NY
MidwestStatesIllinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Michigan | Minnesota | Missouri | Nebraska | North Dakota | Ohio | South Dakota | Wisconsin
MidwestKey CitiesCincinnati, OH | Cleveland, OH | Columbus, OH | Detroit, MI | Indianapolis, IN | Kansas City, MO | Milwaukee, WI | Omaha, NE | Minneapolis, MN | Wayne County, MI | St. Louis, MO | Boulevard Heights, MO |
SouthStatesAlabama | Arkansas | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maryland | Mississippi | North Carolina | Oklahoma | South Carolina | Tennessee | Texas | Virginia | Washington, D.C | West Virginia
SouthKey CitiesAtlanta, GA | Asheville, NC | Baltimore, MD | Charlotte, NC | Charleston, SC | Columbia, SC | Dallas, TX | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Fort Myers, FL | Fort Worth, TX | Greensboro, NC | Greenville, SC | Houston, TX | Huntsville, AL|Killeen, TX | Knoxville, TN | Lexington, KY | Louisville, KY | Miami, FL | Nashville, TN | New Orleans, LA | Orlando, FL | Pasadena, TX | Raleigh, NC | Rockville, MD | San Antonio, TX | St. Augustine, FL | Tampa, FL | West Palm Beach, FL | Memphis, TN | Austin, TX | Norfolk, VA | Jacksonville, FL | Tallahassee, FL | Pensacola, FL | Sarasota, FL | Panama City, FL | Augusta, GA | Virginia Beach, VA | Clearwater, FL | Savannah, GA | Chattanooga, TN | Columbus, GA | Lawrenceville, GA | Winston-Salem, NC | Birmingham, AL | Jackson, MS | Biloxi, MS
WestStatesAlaska | Arizona | California | Colorado | Hawaii | Idaho | Montana | Nevada | New Mexico | Oregon | Utah | Washington | Wyoming
WestKey CitiesColorado Springs, CO | Denver, CO | Fresno, CA | Las Vegas, NV | Los Angeles, CA | Phoenix, AZ | Sacramento, CA | San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA | Tucson, AZ | Portland, OR | Salt Lake City, UT | Orange County, CA | Roseville, CA | Ventura, CA | Lemon Grove, CA | Casitas Springs, CA | Bakersfield, CA

Should I Sell My House to We Buy Ugly Houses?

No. We don’t recommend that you use We Buy Ugly Houses to sell your home unless you’re in dire need of cash.

Their extremely lowball offers may deprive you of your hard-earned money. You also don’t have any scope to negotiate your offer.

Instead of watching your money go down the drain, list your property on the open market. Houzeo’s MLS packages can help you get better offers from cash buyers, and maybe even top dollar for your property.

📞 Need Help? Schedule a FREE Consultation


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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does We Buy Ugly Houses do with the houses they buy?

We Buy Ugly Houses are essentially house flippers. They purchase homes as-is, renovate them, and then sell them at a profit.

2. How much does We Buy Ugly Houses pay?

Typically, you can expect an offer of about 50% to 70% of the fair market value of the property. Since they purchase homes as-is, they deduct the repair costs as well as their estimated profit before extending a cash offer.

An MLS listing on Houzeo can showcase your listing to multiple cash home buyers, giving you more competitive offers.

3. Who owns We Buy Ugly Houses?

HomeVestors is the owner of the We Buy Ugly Houses brand and has a national network of investors operating as independent franchisee owners with licenses.

4. Can you negotiate with We Buy Ugly Houses?

No. The lack of room for negotiation is one of the many disadvantages of We Buy Ugly Houses. The cash offer is a "take-it-or-leave-it deal". However, you are under no obligation to accept it.

Companies That Buy Houses for Cash Near Me 🔍

RegionCash Home Buyers
Nationwide Connect Home Buyers | ASAP Cash Offer | Expert Home Offers | House Buyer Network | Swift Homes | Fast Home Offer
Near-Nationwide Homevestors | We Buy Houses | Express Homebuyers| House Cashin | Highest Cash Offer
Northeast I Buy Li | IPS | ibuy585.com | Integrity First Home Buyers| Handsome Homebuyer | New England Home Buyers | Sell Fast Boston | Sell Now Homebuyers | First Choice Home Buyers | 1-800-cash Offer | Halo Homebuyers | Morgan Home Solutions | Sell to Jim | Snappy Home Buyers
MidwestDirect Home Buyers | I Buy SD | Ben Buys Indy Houses | Grandview Homes | Heartland Buys Houses | Christopher Ellyn Homes | Des Moines Home Buyers LLC | Professional Home Buyers | HouseMax | Jay Buys Detroit | Detroit Cash for Homes | Detroit Fair Offer | Minnesota Home Guys | Chris Buys Homes | Upward Home Solutions | Ohio Cash Buyers | All Ohio Home Buyers | Omaha Homes for Cash | Metro Milwaukee Home Buyer | Cream City Home Buyers
SouthCava Buys | Simply Sold | Homego | Irby Buys | Mark Spain Real Estate | 365 Property Buyers | Florida Cash Home Buyers | Quick Home Buyers | Freedom Cash Home Buyers | Sarasota Home Buyers | Maximum Cash Home Buyers | Cash Offer Kentucky | Geaux Home Buyers Llc | The Buy Guys | Maryland Cash House Buyers | Keen Home Buyers | Nc Cash Home Buyers | W Properties | Charleston House Buyers | New Horizon Home Buyers | Sell to Bobby | House Heroes | Traction Home Offer | Pps House Buyers | Investment Capital Home Buyers | MarketPro HomeBuyers | Texas All Cash Home Buyers | 4 Brothers Buy Houses | Advantage Homebuyers of America
WestTarek Buys | Osborne Homes | Property Max | Seller's Advantage | Sundae | Andrew The Home Buyer | Doug Hopkins Real Estate | John Buys Bay Area Houses | Laurel Buys Houses | John Medina Buys Houses | SoCal Home Buyers | Sell Quick California | Gordon Buys Homes | The Buy-Out Company | Oahu Home Buyers | Khd Real Estate LLC | Enlight Homebuyers | We Buy Any Vegas House | Boise House Buyers | Brothers buy homes | House Buyers of America | The Easy Home Buyer | I Will Buy House | Beachworks LLC

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